Trump's Call in State of the Union for Bipartisanship Likely to Fall Short, Professor Tuman Says

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE -- The hour-and-20-minute speech felt almost a half hour too long, Tuman said, largely because of the many guests he invited in an effort to put a human face on his talking points.

From a 12-year-old Redding boy who started an effort to put flags on the graves of veterans to an Army sergeant who rescued a wounded comrade, Trump had a “human prop” to illustrate almost every part of his speech.

Less, probably, would have been more, Tuman said.

The visitors, each introduced and recognized by applause, “seemed to get in the way of (Trump’s) narrative,” he said. “It hurt the message he was working to get out.”

“I don’t know how many Democrats felt they were included” in Trump’s vision of the nation’s future, Tuman said. “And if the Democrats take back the House, they could have long memories about this.

“Trump could have done himself a world of good by inviting more bonds with the Democrats,” he said.